


Valuable resource

by Prawnperson



Series: Submarine series [7]
Category: Don’t Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Bonding, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Mutual Crushes, anyway enjoy a lot of these two talking, but Walani doesn’t know that yet, neither does WX, not really - Freeform, that sweet sweet communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-02 12:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19198477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prawnperson/pseuds/Prawnperson
Summary: Reconciliation.





	Valuable resource

“Knock knock...”

Slowly, sluggishly, WX-78 cracks their eyes open. Their head feels heavy and tired as they lift it up from the bedroll despite just having slept for a solid three hours. It’s only come the pang in the base of their abdomen that they realise how hungry they are. When did they last eat?

“Can I come in, please?”

That voice outside their tent. They instantly recognise it as Walani. Their entire frame tenses up at the thought of talking with her, but they’ve also missed her desperately.

“ENTER.”

The tent flap is pushed aside as she crawls in, sitting cross legged next to him, the small size of the single tent suddenly making WX-78 feel as if they’re overheating. Walani smiles at them and unwraps something in her hand, WX immediately catching sight of the drumsticks within the waxy cloth.

“I brought you some food.”

“I CAN SEE THAT.”

Silently, Walani hands them over and watches with fascination as they tear the meat away from the bones despite their absence of teeth. At least, she thinks there’s an absence. She isn’t quite certain and doesn’t feel it’s right to ask.

“Sorry you’re stuck in the tent, man.”

No response.

Walani takes some time to observe the inside of the tent. There’s the usual bedroll and small hanging lantern like the rest of them, but then she notes the small, cherry red toy robot sitting half hidden underneath some kind of puffy vest. She leans forward and lifts it up, carefully stroking over the scratched paintwork in its chest. It fits rather snugly into the palm of her hand. She smiles down at the little thing, before turning to WX, who is currently releasing steam like a boiler engine.

“PUT IT BACK.”

They buzz. She carefully lays it back onto the bedroll, petting the tiny metal head as she does so. She swears she can feel the heat radiating off of WX.

The silence that follows is only mildly uncomfortable.

“Hey, I just wanted to say thanks? I think? I mean, for the whole Maxwell thing.”

Walani wonders if WX can get warm enough to set fire to tent fabric, and if so, they’re certainly going the right way about it.

“Why’d you do it, though? I thought you hated us all.”

“YOU ARE A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO ME.”

She doesn’t know why, but Walani realises her face has flushed darker from the statement. She fidgets her hands in her lap, WX-78 steams, and the whole camp suddenly seems miles and miles away.

“Thank you...but please don’t ever try to kill Maxwell again. Or anyone in the camp, for that matter.”

“I CAN MAKE NO PROMISES.”

There’s a little splinter of worry in Walani’s chest until she sees the strange little half smirk on the robot’s face, barely visible. She lets out a snort. They’re so weird. 

“Yeah, well, if it has to be anyone, you probably chose right.”

“I HAVE GOOD TASTE.”

The implications of that sentence only make themselves known to WX a few seconds later. The tent becomes infinitely warmer.

“Well, I think you could probably come out know, if you wanted to. No guarantee they won’t be pissed at you, though, if I’m being honest.”

WX-78 makes a small, staticky noise in the back of their throat that comes out garbled. How can they phrase this without seemingly sickeningly human? The mere though makes them feel scratchy.

“I WOULD PREFER TO STAY HERE. WITH COMPANY.”

Walani smiles at him, before suddenly going rigid, letting out a cry of what they assume is surprise.

“Wait right here! I know something that’ll cheer you up!”

She dashes out of the tent before WX-78 can stop her, and is gone for an agonising two minutes. During that time, they can hear her soft voice in a muttered conversation with someone else. They assume another fleshling is telling her to leave them alone. Tough luck.

“Ta-da!”

Walani enters the tent with a small, wooden instrument in hand. She takes up her position next to WX again, and they scan it over.

“It’s my uke! I thought I could play if for you!”

WX-78 looks at her and back to the instrument. They want to be disgusted at the mere thought of it, but worryingly find they are the complete opposite.

“ACCEPTABLE.”

She smiles again, warmer this time.

“I’m glad.”

**Author's Note:**

> This one was really fun to write.


End file.
